Cari answers “I am not understanding the ending, am I...”

Sarah Thompson asked this question about The Guest:

I am not understanding the ending, am I missing something?

Cari I do believe that Alex gathers what's left of her energy and wits, after the accident, to go to Simon's party. The narration becomes disjointed at thi…moreI do believe that Alex gathers what's left of her energy and wits, after the accident, to go to Simon's party. The narration becomes disjointed at this point because she's finally coming undone: first by the realization that Jack was not going to save her and then by the injuries she's likely sustained in the crash.

As readers, we know she has been deluding herself thinking that Simon will take her back. Their final scene together (when he sends her back to the city) is clearly a goodbye and he never calls her again. Simon wanted a pretty, docile, young girl by his side to make him feel young again and to add to his image of a successful man. Alex refuses to see that her careless and indiscreet flirting at Helen's party humiliated Simon in unforgivable ways. Not only did Alex expose the sham of a marriage of their hostess but also appear openly to be interested in younger men. Both of these things are of course no secret, but the game played in Simon's social circle is to pretend. Simon had no use for someone who would cause unpleasantness and not be the perfect accessory on display.

Knowing this, it was easy to imagine how it would go for Alex at the party, long before the day came. There would be no loving reunion, because there had never been any affection (as judged by Simon's cold dismissal more of a layoff than a breakup). Simon would not cause a scene but would also make it clear she was no longer welcome. That was before she actually showed up in a wrinkled silk dress full of stains, (with a string of crimes and misdemeanors trailing her) to tamper with his carefully curated image once again.

Alex has always been in motion, leaving one thing to dive into another to avoid facing any consequences. But when she sees that Simon will not even acknowledge her, she has to admit this is the end, "now." Now her self-delusion about Simon is finally shattered, now Dom is waiting for her at the station and when she doesn't show up knows where to find her, now Jack may be injured or worse, and his family will be on her trail. There is nowhere else to go and no immediate future evasion to run to. She will either be arrested or killed by Dom. She may even be sustaining life threatening injuries.

Simon will not want to implicated in the least but ironically, with his revolving door of easily replaced, transactional, pretty young girls, he will have brought all this to his doorstep. (less)

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